The consolidation of royal authority (AQA A-Level History): Revision Notes

The consolidation of royal authority

📌 Edward's Second Reign – A New Monarchy?

Henry's Economic Policy

• Continuation and loss of wars in France meant he owed £370,000 mostly to Italian bankers
• Income was only £45,000
• Owed Richard Duke of York £38,000
• Advisors used Acts of Resumption to try and fill his coffers

Edward's Policy

Ordinary Revenue

• Crown lands: more efficient collection resulting in £30,000 annual income
• Customs duties: tax on goods like cloth led to increase of £25k to £35k
• Profits of Justice: nothing new, £800 a year from fines etc.
• Feudal dues: land owners paid him £500

Extraordinary Revenue

• Parliamentary grants: 1473 in prep for French invasion received £30,000
• French pension: Treaty of Picquigny, annually £10,000
• Benevolences: £22,000 in forced loans taken from his people
• Clerical tax: £48,000 from 1472-1475

Law and Order in Edward's Second Reign

Kent Rebellion (Bastard of Fauconberg)

• Fauconberg issued a call to arms to the people of Kent to resist Edward IV
• Demanded reform of the government
• The rebellion failed
• Thomas the Bastard of Fauconberg was executed

Kent Rebellion (Bastard of Fauconberg)

Wales Rebellion

Wales Rebellion

• Most serious threat to the new Yorkist regime
• Lancs continued to defy Edward
• Captured and executed a die-hard Yorkist, Roger Vaughan of Tretower
• By Oct 1471 the last Lanc strongholds in Wales, Pembroke and Tenby surrendered
• Some Lancastrians were pardoned
• Ed used parliament to issue acts of attainder against those who dared defy him
• As the representative body of the king's subjects, parliament offered the crown a means of claiming it had support and consent of the people

Livery and Maintenance

• Illegal retaining
• Great lords recruited those of lesser status as their servants or followers to help advance their ambitions and prestige
• Livery was the giving of a uniform or badge to a follower
• Maintenance was the protection of a follower's interests
• Kings permitted this practice to exist because it could help the magnates control his particular locality
• Also provided the quick raising of an army
• Wars of the roses showed this caused lawlessness and could be used against the king
• Edward attempted to deal with this practice, but it just continues